Daniel, Saved by Righteousness
Ezekiel 14:14 – Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, declares the sovereign LORD. 15 – “Suppose I were to send wild animals through the land and kill its children, leaving it desolate, without travelers due to the wild animals. 16 – Even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign LORD, they could not save their own sons or daughters; they would save only their own lives, and the land would become desolate.”
Today, we focus on Daniel. Even Daniel would not be able to save his own children, if he had any. Remember when Daniel himself was subject to wild animals? It was the lions. King Darius of the Medes and Persians was tricked into drafting a bad law, by his own officials, that sentenced Daniel to the lion’s den for worshiping God.
Then those men came by collusion to the king and said to him, “Recall, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or decree that the king issues can be changed.” So the king gave the order, and Daniel was brought and thrown into a den of lions. The king consoled Daniel by saying, “Your God whom you continually serve will rescue you!” Then a stone was brought and placed over the opening to the den. The king sealed it with his signet ring and with those of his nobles so that nothing could be changed with regard to Daniel. – Daniel 6:15-17.
Here’s the conclusion to the story: In the morning, at the earliest sign of daylight, the king got up and rushed to the lion’s den. As he approached the den, he called out to Daniel in a worried voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, was your God whom you continually serve able to rescue you from the lions?” Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not harmed me, because I was found to be innocent before him. Nor have I done any harm to you, O king.” Then the king was delighted and gave an order to haul Daniel up from the den. So Daniel was hauled up out of the den. He had no injury of any kind, because he had trusted in his God. The king gave another order, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions’ den – they, their children, and their wives. they did not even reach the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. – Daniel 6:19-24.
Daniel continually served God, was found to be innocent before God, and trusted in God. His service, innocence, and trust could not be transferred to another person, not even his own children. Notice the officials who colluded against Daniel could not save themselves, their wives or their children from the violence of the lions – for they trusted in false gods which had no power. No angel was sent to protect them because they didn’t believe in God. They chose to use God as a means to destroy Daniel but ended up destroying themselves.
It’s hard to read of wives and children being torn up in violent deaths. When it comes to salvation. We cannot save them. We can only lead them to the One who can, Jesus Christ. And even then, if that is faithfully done, it will be up to them to choose for themselves if they want Jesus as Lord of their lives. Daniel was a person who made that personal choice in a nation who didn’t worship God and an angel was sent to protect him.
Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before his glorious presence, to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen. – Jude 1:24,25.
Where two are gathered 